Police Seize Over Half a Ton of Illegal Gas in Druze Villages
Israeli police, specifically detectives from Lahav 433's National Fraud Unit, confiscated over half a ton of illegal gas cylinders on Monday. The operation targeted a suspect in Usfiya and a warehouse in Daliyat al-Karmel, both Druze villages. The suspect is accused of importing the gas cylinders from the West Bank and storing them without the necessary licenses or safety precautions.
Police emphasized that the storage was conducted in a "dangerous manner" that endangered the environment. Furthermore, the suspect allegedly distributed the cylinders to customers without them undergoing required safety inspections, posing a significant risk to users. All seized cylinders were confiscated and transferred to the Gas Authority.
The investigation is part of a broader effort by law enforcement to combat the phenomenon of pirate gas in northern Israel. This is not the first time authorities have dealt with illegal gas trade in the region. In a separate incident years ago, suspects from Daliyat al-Karmel were arrested on suspicion of extorting a company involved in building a solar farm, which included arson that caused 1.5 million shekels in damages.
Law enforcement has been actively working against the illegal gas trade, which presents a dual threat: public safety risks from potentially faulty cylinders and economic damage to legitimate gas companies and state revenue.
